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Collard greens are the quintessential southern vegetable, but they also grow well as a fall or winter crop in mild western climates. A relative of cabbage but with a milder flavor, collards provide variety to the standard leafy greens on the table. Begin your own transplants for the home garden with easily-sprouting seeds indoors.

Starting Indoors

Collard greens require cool temperatures during the growing season, because warm temperatures cause the plants to quickly go to seed and die. Growing the plants as a fall crop ensures a long growing season into late fall and sometimes through the winter, but sowing the seeds outdoors in the heat of late summer may undermine germination. Starting the seeds indoors in late summer allows the plants to send out healthy roots and growth in a controlled climate, away from weeds and pests, and improves the plant's viability and productivity when transplanted in the garden. Start seeds indoors eight weeks before you transplant, and set out once soil temperatures drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Preparing Containers

Small seed starting pots, planting cellpacks or seedling flats all work well for collards. Individual pots and cells simplify transplanting since the roots of multiple plants don't become tangled together as they can in a flat. Use clean containers with bottom drainage holes. Fill the containers with a fine-textured sterile potting mixture formulated for starting seeds. To simplify watering, thoroughly moisten the potting mix before you place it in the small seed containers. The soil should feel damp but not muddy or waterlogged.

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Sowing the Seeds

Sprinkle two to three seeds on the soil surface of each pot or cell. If you are planting flats, sow seeds 2 inches apart in rows that are also spaced 2 inches apart. Cover the seeds with one-quarter inch of moist potting soil. Not all the seeds germinate, so it's best to plant a few more than you need for the garden. Once they do sprout you can thin out the extra seedlings in each pot. Pinching or snipping the weaker seedlings off at the base allows you to thin each pot to one plant without disturbing the roots of the stronger collard seedling.

Germination Requirements

Collard seeds germinate well in a range of soil temperatures, from 45 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Indoors, a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees provides optimum germination conditions. The soil must remain moist throughout the sprouting period. Covering the pots with a plastic bag creates a miniature greenhouse environment so the plants won't require watering until after they sprout. Remove the bag promptly once the first seedlings push through the soil, typically in five to seven days.

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About the Author

Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening.